Upward nutrient fluxes at the sediment-water interface were studied in a mussel farming zone (Carteau, Gulf of Fos, France) in order to estimate the impact of organic matter input from biodeposition. Nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, silicate, phosphate and oxygen were measured. Fluxes were estimated by means of polyacrylate benthic chambers placed at sites located under (UM) and outside (OM) the rope hanging structures. Transformation of biodeposited organic matter increases phosphate, silicate and ammonia fluxes. No variation in nitrite fluxes could be detected and only minor differences were observed in nitrate and the oxygen production/consumption equilibrium at the two stations. Phosphate and silicate fluxes, which were always higher at the UM than at the OM site, decreased from spring to winter. Ammonia fluxes were very high under mussel cultures in May and September and lower in November. The fact that ammonia flux was always higher at the UM than at the OM sites might be explained by degradation of mussel biodeposit, as well as by benthic macrafauna excretion. Discrepancies between fluxes of the nutrients studied at the UM and OM sites increased as organic particulate matter in the water column decreased. Variations of oxygen flux followed a different pattern, since they were correlated with presence and abundance of photosynthetic microphytes on the bottom and in the water. Bottom respiration exceeded production of oxygen only in May 1988 at the UM station.As it now stands, biodeposit input into the sediment under mussel ropes does not affect the ecosystem, although the flow of nutrients towards the water column is higher than in other areas.

In order to estimate the qualitative variation of sedimented mussel deposits, biochemical and microbial measurements were undertaken after a sediment enrichment with fresh faeces and pseudo-faeces collected in a mussel farming area (Carteau, Gulf of Fos).During two months, cores sampled were investigated at three stations: a first station enriched with mussel deposits, a second considered as a reference station without mussel deposits and occasionally a third corresponding to a continuously enriched sediment under a rope culture.Carbohydrate, organic carbon and nitrogen contents in the sediments gave evidence of a short term variation after sedimentation.Bacterial production increased rapidly at the enriched station and returned to its initial level 8 days later. At this station, exoglucosidasic activity of bacteria, low at the beginning, presented a maximum two weeks after enrichment whereas exoproteolytic activity, which was high in the biodeposits, decreased in the course of the first week. These exoenzymatic activities were significantly higher at the enriched station than at the reference stations. Carbohydrate measurements were in agreement with these results.Degradation rate of biodeposits is discussed on the basis of exoenzymatic activity, organic carbon, nitrogen and free amino acid content at the three stations.

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